an interlude

I’m back! Many thanks go out to guest bloggers for keeping things going around here! If you haven’t had the chance, check out their posts: Liana Mir takes a neat approach to writing fiction in different lengths in writing down to the bone, Tia Nevitt answers the question why a “fairy tale in reverse”? about her series of short stories set in a post-petroleum age, and my obliging husband David lists 5 webcomics worth following.

We were in California for a week, combining a family visit with a vacation (complete with knick-knacky souvenirs–my children could not get enough of those machines that squish and stamp pennies, which they promptly misplaced).

I met my nephew for the first time, caught up with my sister and father who I hadn’t seen in two years, and with my aunt who I hadn’t seen in more like twelve. Yes, the world is small, but travel is expensive and inconvenient and requires a stretch of free time which we often do not have (I envy Europeans for their vacation time). A great time was had by all, full of visits to zoos and playgrounds, Pakistani food and late-night chats. And tea. Lots and lots of tea with honest-to-goodness Pakistani biscuits. Mmmm.

And now I’m back home, but only for the week. I fly out again this weekend, this time on business (yay! I get to travel on business. Unfortunately, I have no company to pay my way). I’m off to David Farland’s Professional Writers’ Workshop out in Utah (the American West is a rather blank region in my mental map; I know it exists but I’ve never experienced it, so hooray for going to some place new). The week, I hope, will be equally wonderful as the trip I just took, but in a different way. Five days of talking about writing, learning about writing, probably actually writing. Bliss!

So, how are you? Have you taken any trips recently? Any vacation plans for the summer?